SUMMARY
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The Samsung Note 20 Ultra is an ultra-premium phone through and through.
First of all, it costs P67,990. Only Apple has phones that put their phone in this price range, for better or worse, that most people legitimately consider from the perspective of not just specs, but of brand reputation.
Simply put, as with all Note phones before it, the 20 Ultra aims for a package of design sophistication, feel-in-hand, and high-end innards and cameras.
The 20 Ultra is a joy to put in one’s hands. This year’s Note has more of a matte finish than last year’s ultra-reflective Note 10. It not only looks different but it also feels significantly different. The Note 10 Plus had more of a sticky feel, and a chrome-like finish that refracts light to show a literal rainbow of colors from certain angles. It was certainly a bold choice that I’m not sure a lot of other younger brands could pull off. And even with Samsung, the mirror-like back was, at least for me, an acquired taste – especially with it being an absolute fingerprint magnet.
This year’s Note goes for a more classic matte premium finish that looks amazing especially in bronze or mystic bronze as it is known officially. Bronze, in this particular shade, feels like the perfect color the Note line, understated but fully confident. While I have no qualms putting a case over the Note 10, the Note 20’s back is something I’ve loved looking at.
The bulging, oversized rear camera array follows the lead of last year’s iPhone 11, which is to say, Samsung isn’t pioneering a design trend in this regard. Nevertheless – and perhaps a credit to the tastemakers at Apple – I love the design of the camera array, and how pronounced and attention-grabbing it is: a chunk of metal housing prominent camera holes (108MP wide + 12MP tele + 12MP ultra-wide + laser autofocus sensor) in a darker shade of bronze.
The front camera cutout is noticeably smaller than the Note 10 Plus’ as well. The speakers this year on the phone also sound somewhat louder and crisper.
From a usage experience, I must praise the more responsive S-Pen. Samsung cut the response time (from 42ms to 9ms) of their stylus significantly so now it almost feels like scribbling on paper. It’s pure joy. Perhaps it’s something that iPad users have already experienced, but at least Samsung’s got the lock on ultra-responsive stylus use on a screen smaller than a tablet.
Samsung also put in a 120Hz-capable display on the Note 20 Ultra that makes scrolling noticeably smoother. But while it’s not difficult for most to switch back to a 60Hz screen, and still find the experience usable, switching back to the slower Note 10 S-Pen is. You can literally see the input lag from where you point the stylus and where the note or line drawing is currently registering.
Like all the Note phones though, the S-Pen is a special use case. The majority of us have survived tapping our screens after all. But the amazing response time of the new S-Pen is nice enough that you’d actually take the time to pull out that stylus and jot something down. I suppose the Apple Pencil feels just as responsive.
But I’ve only used the Note 10, and coming from that, the Note 20 S-Pen experience feels like magic, which is what good tech is really supposed to make us feel – like the ultra-zoom phone cameras introduced by Huawei and the in-display fingerprint scanner by Vivo from years back.
It’s debatable whether the S-Pen alone makes the Note 20 Ultra worth the purchase. You, after all, get the same stylus in the base Note 20, which is about P23,000 cheaper. If you don’t mind the smaller screen, and a less robust set of cameras, the Note 20 is very competitive in the P50,000-plus range.
The cameras in the Note 20 Ultra are powerful, headlined by a 50x zoom, although it’s arguably mostly usable up to 20x, and an ultra high-res 108MP camera. I love the dynamic range sported by the cameras, with an exposure adjustment slider that seems to be more reliable than ever. The Note 20 Ultra’s cameras are also assisted by a laser autofocus sensor – for snappier, sharper shots – not found in the base Note 20.
It shoots macro with creamy bokeh, which has become a favorite feature of mine in phone cameras, even more than super-zooms. The front camera (10MP) for selfies is sharp, and I love the contrast and saturation as it feels like Samsung has toned down on amping up those settings.
It’s a powerful camera package that helps justify the price, but you can’t ignore that there are also other really reliable cameras that take beautiful shots in other phones down the price ladder. If you’re just looking for camera performance, they may be cheaper options. But what the Note 20 Ultra would like to offer is a complete premium package.
Taken as a whole, the Note 20 Ultra is where high-end tried-and-tested tech and ultra-premium style meet…with a stylus to boot. And perhaps, it’s that improved S-Pen that might weigh heaviest for some people – at least those in the market for super expensive phones – when choosing between this or Apple.
For the rest of us, who may have other financial considerations in life, the market is also replete with enough powerful choices in the lower price brackets. – Rappler.com
Disclosure: Samsung lent a unit for review purposes.
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